Crypto layoffs decelerate, with layoffs falling to 570 in February

Crypto layoffs decelerate, with layoffs falling to 570 in February

Feb 28, 2023

By Felix NG

The number is a stark contrast to over 2,900 employees from the crypto industry let go in January.

Crypto industry layoffs appear to have slowed down significantly over the past month with an estimated 570 crypto employees dismissed in February, down from an estimated 2,850 in January.

Cointelegraph compiled the figures based on publicly reported layoffs and found job cuts were spread across at least 12 companies over the 28-day period, but noticeably lacked the triple-digit crypto exchange layoffs compiled in January, such as those from Coinbase, Crypto.com and Huobi.

Instead, staff cuts came in the double-digits for the most part — impacting blockchain analytics firms, blockchain and software development firms, and digital asset platforms among others.

The most recent layoffs came from crypto analytics firms Elliptic and Messari, which cut 10% and 15% of staff, respectively.

Messari founder, Ryan Selkis, tweeted on Feb. 23 that the staff cuts were due to “market headwinds” and a restructuring of their internal teams. It is estimated to have impacted around 27 employees.

Meanwhile, an Elliptic spokesperson told DLNews on Feb. 24 that the decision to lay off 20 employees was a move to tamp down operating expenses.

It follows news from earlier in the month, when Chainalysis, another blockchain analytics company, revealed it had laid off 44 of its 900 employees, representing 4.8% of its workforce “primarily in sales.”